On August 2 the Court of First Instance of Arabkir and Qanaqer-Zeytun administrative districts of Yerevan issued a decision to arrest numerous political figures and civic activists with the accusation of organization of or participation in mass disorder. Among them was my client Mr. Hovsep Khurshudyan, member of the opposition Heritage party, who was accused of participation in mass disorder, with the grounding that he threw stones to the direction of the policemen. 

A more absurd accusation couldn’t have been brought against H.Khurshudyan. Besides being a “Heritage” party member, he represents Armenia in a range of international organizations. He has been a member of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP SCF), EaP Coordinator of CSF Working Group “Contacts between People” (EaP Thematic Platform 4) since 2014.

Co-Chairs, then members of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum appeared with tough statements, demanding from Armenia’s authorities to immediately release of H.Khurshudyan. 

For those unaware of the status of EaP Civil Society Forum, the organization coordinates civic/ non-governmental dimension of integration of six post-Soviet countries—Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, with the EU, and great importance is attached to position of its Steering Committee in the departments of European Commission, dealing with the European Commission policy towards these six countries. By the way, tough statements on the arrest of H.Khurshudyan, D.Sanasaryan, other political figures and civic activists have been issued by Armenian National Platform of EaP Civil Society Forum, which unites more active 220 social organizations and analytical centers of Armenia. 

Hovsep is also a member of the Steering Committee of EU-Eastern Partnership Culture and Creativity Programme, moreover, other five members of the Committee have been nominated by him. 

This is simply being introduced to have clear view of the status of Hovsep Khurshudyan within the framework of the Eastern Partnership. 

By the way, in the person of Mr. Nerses Ter-Vardanyan, RA Deputy Minister of Culture, Armenia’s Government has also been represented in the Steering Committee of EU Eastern Partnership Culture and Creativity Programme.  

Hovsep Khurshudyan occupies a top position in the Black Sea NGO Forum as well. He’s the coordinator of Education and Culture working group of that international organization. In near future a working meeting will be launched in Kiev to boost development of culture across the Back Sea region with the participation of representatives from all countries.

Organizational efforts of that reunion lie on Hovsep Khurhudyan as well. Finally, being an invited member of EaP inter-governmental platform, H.Khurshudyan succeeded to reach the consent of the Commissariat for European Neighborhood Policy of the European Commission to fund a big international youth forum on human rights in Bratislava, with the participation of 6 EaP countries, Russia, more than dozens of EU member countries with about 150 representatives. 

Welcome speech by H.E. Andrej Kiska, president of Slovakia, will be delivered at the conference, followed by opening remarks of H.Khurshudyan, as organizer of the conference. 

It will be disgraceful for our country if  another representative from EaP countries appears with opening remarks instead of him (it’s not clear yet, representative of which country will be selected by EaP Civil Society forum to assume that status), who may touch upon in his/her speech the authoritarian regime and the atmosphere of political prosecution in Armenia, under which numerous representatives of the civil society and the opposition, including coordinator of the youth forum H.Khurshudyan, have been arrested for their oppositional views, based on fake testimonies of the policemen. 

Minor vengeance of Armenia’s authorities hit a blow to Armenia’s international rating one after another, however, they don’t seem to bother at all. I’m not even speaking of the fact that Armen Martirosyan, vice president, and Davit Sanasaryan, spokesman, of the Heritage party are among the arrested. Along with the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) this opposition party enjoys an observer statues of Europe’s leading power—European Peoples’ Party (EPP). I’m sure, that European Commission will yet reflect to this shameful political prosecution.

I have repeatedly reflected to grounds of Khurshudyan’s detention and arrest and their fake linkage to charge brought against him: particularly, prior to the decision on the arrest any clear evidence proving the accusation hadn’t been brought by investigators, but only suspicion as if he participated in mass disorder, and testimonies by 2 policemen came later to justify his arrest. 

Decision of the court on his arrest is not less ridiculous: while leaving the hall for consultation after the session the judge announced that H.Khurshudyan was free as 72 hours for his detention have already been expired and simply urged him not to leave the hall until issuing the decision. Being free, Hovsep Khurshudyan didn’t go anywhere, by that also proving that the argument brought as grounding for his arrest, i.e. he may escape, is completely groundless. However, the judge didn’t give any importance to this obvious fact and made a decision on arresting Khurshudyan. 

The same occurred in case of A.Martirosyan and D.Sanasaryan. It’s utter evidence that courts have been led not by the spirit of the law, but simply implemented political order.

Seda Safaryan,

Member of the Republic of Armenia Chamber of Advocates

 

16 July, 2016

 

  -   Human Rights